The English Rite Of Freemasonry.

THE ENGLISH RITE OF FREEMASONRY .

( Concluded from page 290 ) . THB concluding chapter gives a concise sketch of the " Constitution of the Grand Chapter , " the progress of the Eoyal Arch Degree and its connection with tho " Modern " system being very carefully delineated . The

formal constitution of the G . Chapter took place on the 22 nd July 1767 , under the authority of Lord Blaney , the Act of Constitution being known as the " Charter of Compact , " and including the regulations for the government of the body . Here , then , wo have it iu evidence that

the Degree was recognised , though not officially , by the "Moderns . " It gradually extended its influence , but more particularl y in the Provinces , the first warrants granted being issued in 1769 . By 1778 there were fifteen chapters on the roll , which number went on increasing

still more rapidly , thirty-eight warrants having been granted in the course of the nine years following 1778 , forty-nine more being issued between 1787 and 1796 , and thence to 1810 some seventy-one more . Moreover , the most distinguished among the " Moderns " cultivated the

Degree , the most noteworthy cases in point being the Dukes of Manchester , Cumberland , and Sussex , all successively Grand Masters of the " Regular " branch of the Fraternity . Other active members at different times are mentioned by Brother Hughan , such as the famous

Dunckerley , the Hon . C . Dillon , the Hon . Rowland Holt , James Heseltine , Sir Peter Parker , the Earl of Moira , Chevalier Ruspini , W . R . Wright , & c , & c . As to the exact stattts of the Royal Arch under the " Moderns " we are enabled to form a tolerable idea from

a statement made in auswer to inquiries by Brother James Heseltine , for many years ( 1769-84 ) G . Secretary , who , in reply to a Bro . Gogel , says , in 1774 , that the Grand Lodge only recognised the three degrees , but at the same time added : "It is true that many of the Fraternity

belong to a degree in Masonry , which is said to be higher than the other , and is called the Royal Arch . I have the honour to belong to this degree . . . but it is not acknowledged in Grand Lodge , and all its emblems and jewels are forbidden to be worn there . In order to convince you of the

untruth of the rumours yon have heard , I can assure you that our present Grand Master Lord Petre is not a member of the Royal Arch , nor was our Past Grand Master , Lord Beaufort . You will thus see that the Royal Arch is a

private and distinct society . It is a part of Masonry , but has no connection with Grand Lodge , and this is the only further degree known to us in England . " In August of the following year , Bro . Hanbnry , writing for Bro . Heseltine in answer to a further communication from the Sfime

correspondent , points out that " Masonry is Masonry with or without this degree ( i . e . R . A . ) ; if it taught a 7 iew doctrine , ifc would be quite different and must be rejected unhesitatingly . . That is why we reject the high degrees of the Strict Observance . They are a confusion without

sequence . English Masons have one ( R . A . ) of which I am a member , and Heseltine is President . It contains a high degree of morality and therefore rejoices in general approbation . " In December of the same year Bro . Heseltine , in a further communication to Bro . Gogel , says : — "I have already told you a further degree , called Royal Arch , is

The English Rite Of Freemasonry.

known in England , in which the present Grand Officers are mostly members of the Chapter . They belong to it as a separate society , without connection with Grand Lodge and its explanations of Freemasonry are very pleasing and

instructive . " The rest of the Chapter , interesting as it is , need not detain us . It carries us on to the present day , whatever of consequence happens being made the subject of appropriate remark .

The appendices , seven in number , include the Charter of Compact ( R . A . ) 1767 ; the Laws of Grand Chapter 1776 ; Warrant of No . 79 granted by Dunckerley in 1791 ; Charter of Compact ( Knight Templar ) , 1780 ; a list of R . A . Chapters 1769 to 1813 ; ditto of Extinct R . A . Chapters

1769-97 ; and another of the Grand Superintendents of the R . A ., 1778 to 1813 . These appendices constitute by no means the least valuable portion of the book ; indeed the publication and compilation of these important documents would alone entitle Bro . Hughan to the thanks of every student of the Craft of Masonry .

We have now brought our study of Bro . Hnghan ' s sketch of the " English Rite of Freemasonry " to a conclusion . It has been said by those who are fond of instituting comparisons that this is the best of the works that has emanated from the author ' s pen . We shall take

no exception to this view , though it may be we agree with it in a sense in which it was not exactly meant to be understood . We do not consider it his best work , on the ground that he has shown greater skill in the treatment and arrangement of his materials . We cannot picture to

ourselves Bro . Hughan , after having selected different subjects of study , doing aught else than bring the whole of his vast knowledge and experience to bear on the treatment of each . Were there observable any difference in the degree of success attained in one case as compared with

another , we imagine it would be due rather to the subject selected than to the extent and character of his labours , which have been always carried out most carefully and conscientiously . This sketch of our English Rite may , however , perhaps , be set down as his best and most important

work in the sense that it treats , not of a separate event or portion of our history , but of tho English system as a whole . It traverses the whole of the period embraced in our history , so far at least as has been thought necessary to elucidate the purpose of the work . At all events , it is a

most valuable contribution to our literature , and , like all his previous contributions , is based on trustworthy sources of information . As Brother Whytehead remarks in the concluding paragraph of his preface to the work— " The author has certainly gathered together a verv valuable

mass of facts , and has dealt throughout exhaustively with his subject ; " and , like Bro . Whytehead , we " esteem it a great privilege" to have been allowed an opportunity of placing on record our appreciation of the " latest efforts of

one who has laboured so closely , conscientiously , and successfully , for a course of years , to open out the paths of Masonic literature , and to bring to light our hidden secrets of the past . "

We would add that the style in which the volume has been presented to the public is in all respects most creditable to the publisher .

The installation meeting of the William Preston Lodge , No . 766 , will be held on Thursday next . Brother Alfred Le Grand is the W . M . elect .